THE EXCEPTIONAL WW2 6TH AIRBORNE DIVISION ‘NORMANDY LANDINGS’ M.M. AND ‘DJEBEL MANSOUR’ CASUALTY GROUP AWARDED TO AND NCO, 224TH PARACHUTE FIELD AMBULANCE, FOR HIS GALLANTRY IN SAVING THE LIFE OF A FELLOW SOLDIER UNDER HEAVY FIRE AT AIRBORNE H.Q, RANVILLE, 9 JUNE 1944. LANDING IN NORMANDY IN THE EARLY HOURS OF D-DAY, HE AND HIS OFFICER WERE THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF MEDICAL HEADQUARTERS 24 HOURS LATER. PREVIOUSLY, HE HAD SERVED WITH 16TH PARACHUTE FIELD AMBULANCE AS PART OF 1ST PARACHUTE BRIGADE IN NORTH AFRICA 1942-3, THIS THE FIRST LARGE SCALE DEPLOYMENT OF BRITISH AIRBORNE TROOPS DURING WW2. HERE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION DURING THE BITTER FIGHTING AT DJEBEL MANSOUR MOUNTAIN, TUNISIA, 4 FEBRUARY 1943

MILITARY MEDAL, G.VI.R.‘7377858 CPL. R. E. JERMEY. R.A.M.C.’, 1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR AND 1ST ARMY CLASP, FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR, WAR MEDAL 1939-45.

M.M. London Gazette 19 October 1944.

The recommendation states: ‘On 9 June 1944 Divisional Headquarters at 1073 (France 1/100,000, Sheet 7F) was heavily shelled and mortared from 1920 to 2030 hours. About 20 casualties were sustained. Corporal Jermey, after attending to one of these casualties who was bleeding badly from a leg wound, carried the casualty on his own, using the Firemans Lift, to the Main Dressing Station, 500 yards away as no vehicles with stretchers were available at the time. Although shells were literally bursting all round him he never faltered. On two occasions he and his patient were knocked down by the blast of the shells but he collected his patient and carried on immediately. In this case he undoubtedly saved the patient’s life as the nature of the wound was such that immediate surgical interference was necessary. His complete disregard for personal safety combined with his coolness and determination has been an example to all ranks.’

Robert Ernest Jermey, was born in Bury St Edmunds on 13 August 1917 and was a married carpenter at Lewes Prison, Sussex. He enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps on 18 April 1940 and initially served with 133 Field Ambulance from 26 June 1940, before transferring to 16 Parachute Field Ambulance (PFA) on 13 April 1942, which was the first Parachute Field Ambulance unit to be formed. Interestingly, his old unit soon after converted to airborne itself, being renamed 133 Parachute Field Ambulance.

Attending parachute course 14 at Ringway, which ran between 25 May and 4 June 1942, Jermey was promoted Acting Corporal on 19 June. He served in North Africa from 30 October 1942 and from at least February 1943 was batman to Lt Colonel Malcolm MacEwan, Commanding officer of 16 PFA. MacEwan was a decorated ex WW1 fighter pilot, nicknamed ‘Technicolor’ due to the number of award ribbons he wore………..

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Condition GVF. Sold with research (digital), including service papers, M.M. recommendation, history of 16 PFA in North Africa, 6th Airborne reports etc.

Only 67 M.M.s to 6th Airborne for the Normandy campaign, just 3 of which were to PFA units, including Jermey.